The Future's Past
by May All Your Bacon Burn
Summary: Bakura and Atemu meet under very different circumstances, causing things to get out of hand for the future. Darkshipping
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Bakura and Atemu meet under very different circumstances, causing things to get out of hand for the future. Darkshipping

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"Remember, keep where I can see you." the Pharaoh told his son before releasing him, watching the young boy explore the small village alone. "...Ra keep him safe."

"You worry too much." Akunadin said to his brother, smirking. "Let the boy have a little fun, it's not like he'll see these commoners when he gets older."

Aknumkhanon frowned at this. "I want to make sure Atemu has a good understanding of the world outside the palace. The people don't need a leader that doesn't understand poverty."

The younger brother gave a snort, but didn't comment. _'He runs things based on trust, but trust only goes so far. If Seth was heir, then there would be no need for these trips because he'd have Egypt in an iron grip,'_ But his son couldn't be Pharaoh, not while his brother and his son lived. He had considered assassination, but there was always a risk. You can't trust anyone anymore, so the thoughts were left to fester and brood. _'I'll find a way to bring my son to the throne, mark my words,'_

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Atemu gazed at the buildings around him in awe. Being in the palace for the past seven years, he had no idea that people lived in such small places. He felt bad, seeing them. Especially since everyone was so kind to him. Everywhere he went, people smiled at him, offering food and water. Someone had even given him a pretty red flower that he had never seen before, even in the books Siamon made him read. He wished he could offer something back, but he didn't have anything...

He stopped, frowning as he tried to think of anything to pay these people back when someone ran into him. He gasped, stumbling before he fell, whoever ran into him landing on top of him. Wincing, he looked up to see who it was. _'Wow,'_ he thought, blinking. It was a boy, a little older than him, with fluffy white hair and redish brown eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and brown shorts, and had a large scar over his right eye, along with two horizontal scars crossing it. _'What happened?'_

"Sorry, I wasn't looking." Atemu said as the white haired boy lifted himself off of him. "Are you okay?"

The boy looked him over, eyes narrowing when he saw the gold earrings and cuffs. "Who are you?"

"I'm Atemu." the red eyed boy offered, smiling. "You?"

"....Akeifia Bakura."

"I like your name." Atemu smiled again, getting an odd look. "...What?"

"You're the Prince, right? What're you doing here then?"

Atemu frowned, though it looked more like a pout. "My father brought me here to meet the people. Why?"

Akeifia snorted, crossing his arms. "You mean so we'll like you guys more? That's a laugh."

"Why?"

The white haired boy scowled. "Because, you're evil! Everyone up at the palace is evil!"

"Are not!" Atemu argued hotly, ignoring the crowd of people. "We're trying to protect you! My father brought me here to meet all the people so I know what's going on here."

"Oh, so you can feel bad for us?!" Akeifia sneered. "That makes me feel so much better! Maybe I can ignore the pain in my stomach when I go hungry again because the **Prince** is trying to protect us!"

Atemu pouted again, crossing his arms in a mock pose of the older boy. "Just because we live differently than you doesn't make us evil. And if you're hungry, you can have some of the food I got." He held up the small bag, showing the food the villagers had given him. "I don't mind sharing with you, Akeifia."

The white haired boy hesitated. "...Bakura." Seeing the confused look, he added. "Call me Bakura."

"Oh, okay."

After Bakura ate the whole bag, with Atemu teasing him that he must be a cow, because he _had_ to have had more than one stomach, they walked around the village with the older boy pointing things out. Though the commoner was loath to admit it, he liked Atemu. The boy was still young, so he was new to everything and a good listener. And in return, Atemu confessed about having overheard his uncle telling his father about creating the Millennium Items. This had caused Bakura to stop walking, making Atemu ask if he was alright.

"I'm fine, 'temu."

_'It wasn't the Pharaoh?'_ he thought, falling silent. _'The Priest is the one who killed my village, not the Pharaoh himself?'_ He looked sideways at his new friend, feeling an odd sensation of relief inside of him. _'What if I hadn't met Atemu? Would I continue hating the wrong person for the rest of my life? Would I have hated Atemu?'_ The thought made him sick. He really did like his friend, even though the Priests in the palace were cramming their narrow-minded views inside his head. But Bakura set him straight, such as the thieving about these parts.

"It's wrong," Bakura explained. "But if you don't steal, then you don't eat. And then you die or get sick. My father had taught me awhile ago, so I'm pretty good at it."

"Wow, really?" Atemu asked, smiling. "Show me!"

There was a pause before the white haired boy showed him on of his earrings. Atemu gaped, reaching up and feeling that one of the gold trinkets was missing. "That's cool, Bakura! Can you show me how to do that?"

Bakura shrugged. "Alright. But don't tell anyone I did, okay? It would get me into a lot of trouble."

"Okay!"

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"Oh, man." Atemu whined, seeing as the sun was setting. "I'm going to have to leave."

Bakura frowned. "It's not like I'm leaving. I'll see you again."  
Atemu smiled. "Okay. I'll come visit you again, okay? And I can bring more food if you'd like."

As much as Bakura hated charity, he couldn't say no to that face Atemu was making. "...Fine."

"Yay! Oh, right." the Prince reached up, removing one of the earrings. "You can have this. Since you stole from me without me knowing, it's actually yours, right?"

Bakura balked, staring at it. "D-do you know how much those are worth?! I can't just take it from you."

Atemu made a face. "Please? Siamon gave me tons of them. And it's only one!"

"...But what will you say to your father?" Bakura asked, trying to think of excuses.

"I'll say I dropped it." Atemu shrugged. "Please, Bakura??"

The white haired boy sighed, nodding. "Alright. You better get back here soon though."

"Okay!" Atemu surprised him by giving him a hug and taking off, leaving the boy there with an odd look on his face. _'What the hell?'_

"Atemu." The Pharaoh greeted his son, sighing in relief. "I was about to send the Guards after you! Where have you been?"

Atemu smiled. "I was with my new friend. Can I come see him again soon?"

Aknumkhanon chuckled. "Of course. Let's go, you still have a lesson with Siamon when you get back."

The prince groaned, hating the hours he spent over old, dusty books. He liked learning from Bakura a lot better. But he didn't argue, hoping to see his friend soon to ask about the things he learned. After all, Bakura had a lot more personal experiences than Siamon about those kind of things, and Atemu found himself trusting the white haired thief more.

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Atemu quickly looked both ways, making sure that there were no guards around to stop him from sneaking out of the palace this fine night. He had promised Bakura to see him, and he wasn't about to break a promise to his best friend, even though both Mana and Mahaad pleaded with him to stop the late night strolls through the village. _'Sorry, guys.'_ He thought sadly. _'But Bakura came first,'_ It wasn't that he didn't trust the magicians, he just liked to see the first friend he had that wasn't supplied by his father or uncle.

"Pharaoh? You there?"

Atemu paused, hearing the whispering from a small hut to his right. "Thief? Is that you?"

Bakura poked a head out of a window, grinning. "I've been waiting for you! It's about time!"

Atemu glared, sneaking through said window with a small sack of food, a tradition that had started since he had begun visiting his white haired friend. "I've been hearing rumors about you from the servents. Apparently, you are now dubbed 'Thief King'."

"Pretty awesome, huh?" Bakura said, grinning. "Now we're both royalty."

Atemu chuckled. "How have you been this past week? Besides the rumors, I haven't heard anything else about what's going on out here. My uncle thinks that it'd be best to keep me in a bubble with my grief."

"...He's getting worse?" Bakura asked, frowning slightly. He knew that Atemu liked to hide things, even from him.

"Mahaad gave him a week." the Prince confessed, sighing. "You can tell by looking at him, he's gotten so pale. I overheard Isis and Karim saying something about poison, but they have no idea who would be dumb enough to poison the Pharaoh."

Bakura shrugged. "You can't trust anyone in the palace. They're all out for themselves."

"Seth's not." Atemu argued. "Or Mahaad and Mana. They're on my side. And Isis will side with Mahaad."

Bakura snorted. "Still, that's only three of the six Priests that you **can** trust. And one of them is only because he's your cousin. It's Akunadin that I don't like. I've heard things about him. Apparently, he didn't like it when his parents named your father heir."

"U-Uncle Akunadin?" Atemu blinked, eyes wide. "I never...he doesn't seem like that."

"They never do."

Silence. Bakura watched his friend, sighing slightly. He didn't like talking about these things because he didn't like the sad look Atemu got when they did. They had been friends for nine years now, and Bakura liked that. He could trust Atemu, when everyone else failed. The Prince often asked him to come to the palace with him, so that he could be a guard of his once he was in the throne, but Bakura always declined. He hated the Priests, and he hated Akunadin with a burning passion. It was that man who had killed everyone in his village for power.

"You'll make a good King, Atemu."

Atemu bit his lip. "You...think so?"

"Please, everyone loves you." Bakura snorted, grinning. "All you have to do is bat those eyes and they're graveling at your feet."

"...Don't make me kill you, Bakura."

"Well, it's true!" the thief laughed, ignoring the look he got. "You should hear some of the things these people say about you! 'Oh, he's so pretty', 'he'll have a wife in no time', 'if only I were a women'."

"You're just saying that." Atemu muttered, crossing his arms.

Bakura shook his head. "Nope. And those are the censored ones. I don't want to repeat some of the other things I've heard, I'd hate to ruin your young, virgin ears with all his unroyal talk."

The red-eyed boy muttered under his breath, cursing his friend. "I think my hour is up, Bakura. I'm going to have to get back before I get my head ripped off by Siamon."

"You better come back here soon." Bakura threatened lightly. "But try to stay with your father, alright?"

Atemu hesitated, half-way through the window. "Thanks, Bakura."  
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"You fools!" Akunadin roared as the Dark God Zorc rose from the tablet that the Millennium Items had come from. "I told you that your worthless ka's couldn't do anything to the real God of this world!"

Atemu gasped, choking up blood as he tried to lift himself off his stomach. Why? Why had his Uncle gone so far? When Atemu had first come to the throne, he had thought that Bakura's suspicions of his uncle were wild and baseless. After all, the man was one of his six protectors, and he had no reason not to trust him. So, for the past few months, he had let his guard down until the man had stolen the items, prying the Puzzle from the Pharaoh when he had 'killed' the Sun Dragon Ra, making the teen collapse, and having ripped the Ring away from Mahaad, who had died protecting Atemu.

"Father, please!" Seth begged, only a few feet away from his cousin. "Stop this!"

"It's too late, Seth!" Akunadin laughed. "The shadows have been unleashed. Soon, you will become Pharaoh."

Zorc turned his red eyes to Atemu, reaching for the injured boy. "_**Give in, boy. Nothing can stop the shadows once they overcome your precious light**_."

Atemu coughed up more blood, wincing at the tight grip around him. "N-never."

"Release him!"

Atemu sighed, smiling slightly as he heard Bakura's voice below him. _'I was afraid he wouldn't show,'_ he thought, watching the thief summon his own monster. _'Since when can Bakura do that? He never told me,'_ He watched the odd monster fly at Zorc, clawing at the so-called God's arm. Zorc gave a roar, causing him to drop the Pharaoh. Atemu cringed, getting the sick feeling of falling through the air before he was caught.

"_Are you alright, Pharaoh?_"

Atemu blinked, gasping. Mahaad was holding him, still a few feet off the ground. He was wearing purple armor that his monster used to wear. "You...you came back?"

"_To protect you._" Mahaad answered.

The king smiled before he remembered that they were in the middle of a war. He had his friend release him, forcing himself not to stumble when his feet touched the ground. _'I don't have any strength left inside of me.'_ he thought, glaring up at Zorc and Akunadin. _'What are we suppose to do?'_ What would his father do? He tried to think, but he was too tired. He just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.

"Atemu!" Bakura ran over, ignoring the dark look Mahaad gave him. "You scared me up there!"

"Sorry, Bakura." the Pharaoh muttered, reaching up and taking a hold of the thief's red coat to keep himself up. "What're we suppose to do? We're all exhausted..."

Mahaad frowned. "_My Pharaoh, there...is one way...._"

"What is it?" Atemu asked, frowning.

"_Your father once mentioned to us why he picked your name. When you were born, all the Gods and Goddesses gave you a blessing to protect you. It was the only time any of them had ever done so to any heir of Horus. But your father named you because when they blessed you, Ra showed himself to your father and suggested the name, saying you would need its power when you became Pharaoh._"

The Pharaoh blinked. "Power? My name has power?"

Mahaad nodded. "_If you use your name, you can seal this monster away into the tablet forever...but in doing so, you must wipe your memories so the Evil God can never be unsealed._"

Bakura scowled. "No way! Atemu, you can't be even considering this!"

"What choice do I have?" Atemu demanded, his grip on the thief tightening. "I'm suppose to protect Egypt, that's the reason I'm alive. I have to do this, Bakura."

The white haired teen reached up, grabbing the king's wrists. "So, what will you do? Wipe your memories and continue being Pharaoh after you've forgotten everything?!"

"No...." Atemu sighed, looking up at his friend. "I'm....I'm going to seal my soul into the Millennium Puzzle."

"You...you can't be serious!" Bakura snapped, eyes wide. "Atemu, that means killing yourself!"

The younger male nodded. "I can't let someone unseal him, Bakura. And everyone in this realm knows who I am. So, I'll seal myself into the Puzzle, and have Seth shatter it so that I can wait for my reincarnation to solve it, helping me destroy Zorc once and for all." He looked up at Bakura, eyes pleading. "I have to."

"You're sure?" Seth asked, making them jump. "Once you do this, there's no turning back."

"...I'm sure." Atemu smiled. "And when I'm gone, I want you to take over for me, Seth."

The brown haired teen gaped. "M-me?? Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Who else would I trust to rule Egypt when I'm gone? But I have to do this now."

He hesitated before hugging Bakura, then Mahaad. Seth allowed himself one, though he whispered something into Atemu's ear that none of them could hear. Atemu nodded, walking towards the rubble of the Tablet of the Millennium Items and taking hold of the Puzzle. Without a glance back, he put it on and walked towards Zorc. Bakura felt himself give a lurch, wanting to go after him, but Seth stopped him.

"Shall I assume you're the one Atemu's been sneaking off to see?"

Bakura scowled. "Yeah, what of it?"

Seth shook his head, smirking. "He mentioned you a few times, actually. He cares about you, and seeing as your expression, I can tell it's mutual."

"I am Pharaoh, the son of Horus and chosen son of Ra." Atemu said confidently, cutting off whatever Bakura was going to say. "I am the Morning and Evening. I am the Sun and Moon. I am the Light and the Darkness. I am the Shadows and I am the Sunshine. I am the Crown of Two Lands, and I am Death. I am the son of King Aknumkhanon, and by the blessings of the Gods, I banish thee with the name I was given by Ra." He held out a hand. "Atemu!"

Bakura watched as both Zorc and Akunadin screamed, a burst of light coming from the Millennium Puzzle and pulling them into the stone Tablet that was covered by rubble. At the same time that they were gone, a light wrapped around Atemu, and the thief watched as his soul was pulled inside the Puzzle. His body, now an empty shell, fell to the ground, red eyes dulled over and cold. Seth walked forward, gently removing the Puzzle from around his neck. A thought passed through Bakura's head, making him pause.

"Seth."

Everyone turned to Bakura, though a few of them were crying. The thief ignored it, waiting until the new king looked at him. "...Let me go with him."

"What?!" Mana yelled. "Why would **you**, the Thief King, want to follow after him?"

Bakura ignored her. "He won't remember why he's in the Puzzle. Let me go with him, to help remind him why he's there."

Seth thought it over before nodding. "Alright, Bakura. I'm going to seal you inside the Millennium Ring, so you can help him find the other Millennium Items. But are you absolutely sure? You'll be awake the whole time, waiting for your chosen to get the Ring. You might be waiting a long time."

"I know."

Seth sighed. "Alright. Isis, Karim, Shaadi, Mahaad. Get the Ring over here." He turned back to Bakura, waiting until they were out of hearing range. "You must really care about him if you're willing to risk waiting thousands of years to see him again."

"If it wasn't for him, I'd be on the opposite side, hating the wrong person." Bakura snorted, ignoring the confused look. "It's a shame you can't ask your father about Kul Elna."

"...What's Kul Elna?" Seth asked, frowning.

The thief motioned to the rubble around them. "My home."  
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Please, let me know if you like this!!! ::gets on knees:: I happen to really enjoy this pairing, and while looking through the Millennium World arc of the manga, I thought, huh....what would've happened then? So this came out. I'm sorry if I wrote Bakura a little too odd, but he'll get a little more insane in the next chapter!...if there is one. XP  
R&R


	2. Chapter 2

Yay, people liked this!! ::smile:: Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you all liked this since it's my first time writing Bakura. ::happy face::

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Akeifia Bakura was not happy.

Sure, he didn't mind putting his soul into the Ring because he knew that once Atemu woke up, he would be needing the other items so now the thief could find them. And he didn't mind leaving Egypt behind because, in all honesty, Atemu was the only thing he had anymore. His village, family and all his old friends were dead. So he didn't hesitate about sleeping inside the Ring. What he didn't like was the owners.

Bakura wasn't sure how many people had put the Ring on, but none of them lasted. Instead, he had to listen into their mind while they became insane, the Ring's arrows embedding into their chests as their mind was broken beyond repair. The bad thing was, each person who put it on, Bakura would hope that it was finally time. And each time he was disappointed. The only thing he could do anymore was muse over the change in technology; he could get a glimpse when someone put the damn Ring on, and he was surprised how long the search was taking.

Five thousand years....

Five thousand fucking years when Bakura finally felt it. A pull on his soul, a mind of warmth unlike the cold darkness that was inside the Ring. He finally could open his eyes, now having had a pair, and he had a body. Curious, he waited as his host went in front of a mirror and he gaped. This....this boy looked like him! Was this his reincarnation? Course, there were some differences. For one, the eyes. The boy had large, doe eyes of innocence and trust. They were also brown. And the white hair fell around his shoulders, instead of looking like horns (something Atemu had always teased him about).

Bakura frowned, looking through the boy's mind. _'Ryou Bakura, heh. We have the same last name. Mother and sister dead, father's traveling always. The Ring was a gift...he's trusting and naive, but depressed. No friends, considered a freak for his interests in the occult...I could actually learn to like this kid,'_ But now the thief was faced with a problem. Did he try to get in contact with the kid, or stay hidden? He didn't want to freak him out, since he would be needing the boy to search for Atemu.

Instead, Bakura resigned himself to wait. He watched the boy for a couple days, searching through his mind to get more acquainted with the time he was now stuck in. He stopped when Ryou went to school, watching as some kids pushed his host around for his long hair. Bakura growled, feeling his temper rise. _'How dare they treat my hikari that way!'_ He didn't know where the term came from, but it stuck. Ryou was everything he wasn't, and he liked the kid, even though some of the things he did pissed the spirit off. So, when Bakura saw blood coming from Ryou's mouth, he took control.

"You'll regret that."

The boys paused, confused. Ryou never talked back, never seemed to possess any form of temper before. Bakura smirked, feeling the familiar presence of shadows as he surrounded them. _'Well, might as well get used to having a body after so long...Glad to know my powers are still here as well,'_ He chuckled, seeing the boys go from confused to frightened as they realized they couldn't get out. '_Now, to think of a game...'_ He blinked, grinning.

"We're going to play a game." He said, getting their attention. "I have a deck of cards. If any one of you gets a number higher than me, I'll spare you. If you lose, you'll suffer a penalty game."

Seeing as there were three of them, the odds were in their favor. So they nodded, each drawing a card. One got a four, ten, and one boy drew a King. Bakura hummed thoughtfully. The only way he could win was by drawing an ace. The chances of that were four out of fifty two, so not so good...But it didn't bother the thief at all. He had a streak of good luck. So, shrugging, he ignored the taunts and drew a card, pausing to look at it before grinning.

"Ace of Hearts. I win."

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"...what would father say?" Ryou asked himself softly as he buttoned his new school uniform, sighing. "I'm going insane. Sending people into comas, apparently threatening teachers...What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you, Landlord."

Ryou jumped, paling. "Go away. You're a figment of my imagination."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Look, you're not that creative. So hush up and listen to me. My soul is inside the Ring you got from Egypt. I sent those boy's souls into the Shadow Realm because they were picking on you and-"

"T-their souls?!" Ryou cut him off, somehow paling even further. "Oh by the Gods, why did I have to get the Ring?!"

"Listen!" Bakura snarled, finally getting the teen to look at him. "There are a lot of people who tried to wear the Ring, but it sent them all insane. You're my other half, so your the only person who can help me."

Ryou frowned. "...Help you with what?"

"I'm looking for someone." Bakura muttered, watching the albino grab his bag and walk out the door. "I've been stuck in that Ring for five thousand years, and I'm not waiting Ra knows how long again because I scare you."

"B-but...why did you send them into the whatever Realm? I was getting on perfectly before without you."

Bakura chuckled. "Yeah, I could tell when you rebelled by **bleeding** on them. And stop talking outloud, people will think there's something wrong with you."

Ryou grumbled under his breath before hesitatingly thinking, _'W-will this work?'_

"Better, Landlord. You're getting the hang of it." Bakura said. "Now, I know you don't want to hear this but too bad. I'm not letting thugs pick on you because you and I are stuck together. For awhile, this is my body as well and I don't like it when some no brain twit thinks he can prove his masculinity by beating you up."

_'Great, so I have a parasite spirit that's over five thousand years old stuck inside my mind that can take over my body whenever he wants? Sure, thanks a lot whatever Gods exist. Bad enough you took away my mother and sister, but now I have this to deal with. And I have to transfer schools because of it,'_

"Tch." Bakura scuffed, crossing his arms. "I don't see what the big deal is. And if it'll make you feel better, I'll give you a warning before I take over, okay? Satisfied, Landlord?"

Ryou sighed, seeing the gates of Domino High appearing. "...No."

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Ryou was always nervous about speaking in front of people, so when his first teacher made him do just that, he gulped and kept his eyes down, not having the courage to look up and see what people were thinking about him. He was used to being picked on, but it still hurt. Especially since his dad had tried to reassure him that with a new school, they wouldn't be so 'mean' and cast him aside because they didn't know him.

"Utter and total bullshit." Bakura muttered, making Ryou sigh as he went to whatever seat the teacher pointed out for him. "Everyone has an evil, dark side and I don't think your father understands that when he tells you to suck it up as nicely as he can."

_'It's because he's afraid of me,'_ Ryou thought to his 'yami'. _'I can see it when he looks at me. I look like my mother, so it's always been hard for him to look at me, but now I frighten him,'_ He sighed, looking up at the board, trying to make it look like he was paying attention. _'You know, Bakura...I think I might like having you around,'_

"Really?" Bakura asked, surprised. "A few seconds ago, you were wishing I had never been born."

Ryou blushed. _'W-well, I changed my mind, okay? It's nice to have someone to talk to that you don't have to worry they'll think you're a freak. I mean, you're technically dead, so you can't talk about weird, can you?'_

"....Shuddup, Landlord."

Ryou smiled, writing down some notes while he listened to Bakura complain in the back of his head. He wasn't kidding, it was nice. Bakura was the only person he knew that would talk to him besides his father. And now, Ryou was alone again because the man had left for Egypt....again. For the next three months. _'Bakura? What was your family like?'_

Bakura blinked, frowning. "I don't know if we should talk about it..."

_'Why? Were they that bad?'_

"It's....Fine. I'll tell you. My parents are dead, my friends are dead, and I had to watch them die." Seeing the look on Ryou's face, he sighed and continued. "The Ring was created with the souls of 'evil'. The Pharaoh's brother killed my village because it was full of bandits and such, so they pushed them into a boiling cauldron to use their souls to create the Millennium Items. I survived, but I watched them all die. So, I became the Thief King to get revenge."

Ryou frowned. _'That's horrible...'_

"It could've been a lot worse, Landlord. For awhile, I thought it was the Pharaoh who was to blame, but then I met his son, and I found out the truth...If I hadn't met him, I'd be a very different person."

The hikari hummed thoughtfully, musing over it as he idly waited for break. He had already learned what the teacher was going over, so he didn't need to listen. So, doodled in his notebook, stopping when someone blocked his light. Blinking, he saw that it was break, and someone was leaning over in front of him to see what he was drawing.

"Can I...help you?" Ryou asked hesitatingly, noticing the boy looked like a bully.

"Nah, just looking. It looks like a duel monster." The blond grinned, looking up at Ryou. "Name's Jounouchi. You're Ryou, right?" Ryou nodded. "Well, welcome to Domino, want to sit with me and my friends? I'm sure that way Anzu can drool over you properly."

Ryou blushed, ignoring the snickering coming from his head. "W-well, that's nice of you to offer...are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course! Yugi likes it when new people sit with us. Just hope that you'll get through Chono's class fine. She's a royal bitch." Jounouchi muttered, still grinning.

"Uh, thanks, Jounouchi." Ryou said, watching the blond walk back to his seat. _'He was...nice.'_

"He kept looking at the Ring." Bakura pointed out. "Either because he wants to steal it, or he's seen something like it before....maybe...."

_'You think you're friend's here?'_ Ryou asked, seeing the happy look on Bakura's face. _'Well, I promised I'd look for him with you. What does the item he's in look like?'_

"It's an upside down pyramid."

Ryou looked around the room before stopping at a boy diagonal to him, three seats away. _'That kid's wearing it,'_

Bakura blinked, walking over in his spirit form. He stared, eyes wide. This runt looked just like Atemu. Only younger. His eyes were amthyst instead of crimson, and he didn't have the blond streaked through the tall spikes, but he could've been Atemu's twin. The thief looked down at the Puzzle that was hanging around the kid's neck, wanting so badly to reach out and take it.

_'I have to wait to be sure he's there...'_ Bakura thought, though still staring. _'Maybe I can lure him out....somehow,'_

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"It's nice to meet you, Ryou. I'm Anzu." the pretty brunette with large, golden brown eyes greeted, smiling as Ryou sat down next to her by the window.

"You too, Anzu. Thanks, Jounouchi, for letting me sit by you." the white haired teen said, turning to the blond, who was eating....still.

Jounouchi waved his hand. "It's nothing, Ryou. Anyway, this is Honda," he pointed to the brown haired male who was staring off into space. "And Yugi. See, Yug? He's got a necklase like yours."

Yugi smiled, though he did stare at the Ring for a little bit before Anzu pulled his attention away. Ryou really like his new....acquaintances. He wasn't really sure if they were friends, but they might be after spending some more time with them. Or, until the dreaded subject of his transfer came up...which it did.

"So, Ryou," Yugi began, looking confused. "Why did you come here?"

Ryou paused, frowning. "W-well, I...."

"Tell them exactly what I tell you," Bakura whispered into his head, making the boy jump a little.

"I...I've been having these blank spots in my memory..." Ryou muttered, looking down. "And then I've been told I do nasty things when this happens. I...I guess I sent a couple boys into a coma...All I remember is they were pushing me around but then I was in class....Then I blanked out, and when I came to, I was in the office, and the Principal said I had threatened a teacher because he wanted to cut my hair in front of class...."

"A...coma?" Yugi echoed, eyes wide.

Ryou nodded. "It only started when I got the Sennen Ring..." Bakura rolled his eyes at the name, but whatever. Ryou was Japanese. "I thought about taking it off, but I got it from my father, and I don't get to see him a lot. He's always traveling, and he sent it to my as a gift."  
"Well, even if you have freaky, coma-inducing powers," Jounouchi said, making Ryou look up. "It don't matter. I mean, we're all pretty weird, right?"

Anzu giggled. "Yeah. Though," she grinned, poking Yugi. "I think Yugi and Ryou will get along fine, since they're the weirdest of us all."

"That's just mean." Yugi muttered, crossing his arms.

Ryou smiled, glad that they weren't upset by what he had told them. But he noticed Bakura was still looking at Yugi, obviously thinking. _'Bakura?'_

"I have a plan." the thief said. "To see him. Will you help me? I promise, not matter what it seems, I won't hurt your friends."

_'....Alright, I'll help. What do you want me to do?'_

VVV  
VVVV  
VVV

"A board game?" Yugi asked, looking excited. "Really?? I love games!"

Ryou smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "Great! Want to come over and play it? You need a lot of people, so I haven't been able to play lately..."

"I'll ask Anzu, Jou and Honda. When do you want us over?" the amethyst eyed boy all but demanded, and Ryou was glad that he was so happy about the idea. He honestly thought that none of them would agree to it. "Oh, and I need to know where you live."

Ryou wrote down his address and gave it to him. "Just come by in a few hours, if that's okay. My dad's still in Egypt, so the house is empty. I thought it'd be nice to have some friends over."

Yugi smiled. "We'll be there, Ryou."

The albino waved as the smaller male walked away, obviously to tell his friends. "I hope this works..." he muttered.

"Of course it will." Bakura said, appearing next to his host. "I thought of it."

Ryou rolled his eyes, walking home. "Sure, Bakura."

Bakura scowled, crossing his arms. "You're being a bit too cheeky, Landlord. I don't think I like it. Go back to being modest and a cry-baby."

Muttering something under his breath, Ryou decided to ignore the spirit, throwing his bag into a chair once he got home. _'Well, since I'm having friends over, I might as well make something to eat...though I don't know what. Jounouchi eats so much, I won't have enough...'_ He shrugged, throwing some things together and getting the board out for Monster World. It had been his favorite game, but once his sister and mother died, he hadn't felt the need to play it. He stopped at the small figurines, seeing three new ones. _'Odd...'_ He paled, seeing that they looked like the boys in a coma.

"B-Bakura?!"

Said thief appeared, raising an eyebrow. "What? Would you rather their souls wandering around the Shadow Realm, being devoured by monsters? I'll let them go after the game."

"A-alright...But if you don't, then I'm not helping you." Ryou hissed, picking the figures up lightly and putting them in a box so he wouldn't have to look at them. "I feel kinda bad for them..."

"What?!" Bakura snapped, glaring at his hikari. "After what they did to you?! How can you feel bad for them? They got what they deserved, and if I could, I'd let them be swallowed by Ammut, but apparently, I can't because everyone thinks I'm you!"

Ryou frowned. "Maybe they do deserve that, but it's not up to you who gets thrown into the Shadow Realm, okay?"

"Tell that to the Gods when they allowed the Snake to _make_ the Millennium Items, then letting me use their powers."

Sighing, Ryou jumped when someone knocked on the front door. Blinking, he opened it, smiling when he saw Yugi, Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu. "Hello, everyone! It's nice to see you."

"Heya, Ryou!" Yugi greeted. "Um, I hope we're not too early, they wanted to come as soon as they heard."

He pointed to Jounouchi and Honda, who both grinned. Ryou shook his head. "It's fine. Come on in, I have it all set up in the back room."

"You have a really nice apartment, Ryou." Anzu said, looking around. "And you have it all to yourself..."

Ryou smiled, though it faltered slightly. "Yes, well...it gets rather lonely..."

"Don't worry about it, Ryou!" Jounouchi said. "We'll come over everyday! Especially to play this game, I can't wait! I'll kick all your butts!"

"Yeah, right, Jou!" Honda sneered, pulling the blond into a headlock. "When has Yugi lost at anything?"

"Aw, man..."

Ryou blinked, looking over at Yugi. The teen was blushing, though smiling. _'He's...never lost? At anything?'_

"Then he must be Atemu's hikari." Bakura said, though he didn't appear. "If he knows about Atemu, then he'll be able to see me when I come out of the Ring. We'll just have to wait and see once the game starts. But I need you to trust me, Landlord."

_'....Alright, Bakura. We'll do this your way,'_

VVV  
VVVV  
VVV

"Y-you're not Ryou!" Yugi said, eyes wide as he watched Ryou's form change slightly. "Who are you?! And what have you done with my friends?!"

Bakura chuckled. "I am the Spirit inside the Millennium Ring! Call me Bakura. You're friends are fine, Yugi, I merely put their souls inside their figurines, to make the game more interesting."

Yugi glared. "What happens when they lose?"

"That's up to you." Bakura sneered. "You see, little Yugi, I've been stuck in that Ring for a very long time, and all for one person. I need to be able to see him."

"Who?"

Bakura pointed at the Puzzle around the other's neck, ignoring the small toys on the board that gasped. "He's inside your Puzzle. Have you met him yet? I'd say you have, given the reaction your friends made."

"Mou Hitori no Boku?" Yugi whispered, putting a hand on the cord of the Puzzle. "You want to meet him?"

"I want to see him again." Bakura muttered darkly. "I want to put my skills against his. If you allow me that, then nothing happens to your friends."

Yugi though for a moment before nodding. "Alright...then I want you to put my soul into my figure as well. Though I should warn you," he smirked. "Mou Hitori no Boku doesn't lose."

Using the powers of the Millennium Ring, Bakura sealed the vessel's soul into the toy, watching as the body slumped against the board and waited. He saw Ryou next to him, also watching. _'You care a lot about him,'_ the hikari whispered. _'What if he hates you for trapping them like this? He won't remember anything...He can't remember, so you....'_ Bakura scowled, tightening his hands into fists. _'Hikari, that's a risk I have to take.'_

"You wanted to see me?"

Bakura's breath hitched, watching as Atemu sat up straight, arms crossed as he stared back at him. His eyes were back to crimson, and his hair had the blond through the spikes. He...looked exactly the same, except he was pale. The only trait that came from sharing a body, it seemed. It killed apart of Bakura when those red eyes stayed flat, not having any memories to remember the thief by. But he just smirked.

"I did. Like I promised your host, I won't hurt them, as long as you give me everything you've got."

He nodded, but still looked suspicious. "Who exactly are you? And how did you know I was in the Puzzle?"

Bakura growled under his breath. _'Dare I tell him everything? He wiped his memories for a reason, I can't...risk everything he's done just because I want him to remember me...But I can tell him enough. Like our names,'_ "My name is Akeifia Bakura." Something flashed in Atemu's eyes before it faded. "For the past five thousand years, my soul has waited in the Ring for my owner. Ryou is that person. I know about you because I was there when you put your own soul into the Puzzle."

"You...were there?" Atemu repeated, eyes wide. "I...I was a live, once?"

"You were a person once." the thief hissed, eyes narrowing. _'He thought he was apart of that boy?! Idiot!'_ "You were a king. But then you had to be all noble and save the world."

Atemu stared at him, frowning. "What was my name? And how did you know me?"

Bakura chuckled. "Those are the two things I can't tell you, _Pharaoh_." Atemu flinched slightly, but he growled at the white haired spirit. "After all, we have a game to play. Maybe, if you beat me, then I can tell you what you want to know. But, no promises..."

Atemu smirked. "Alright then, Akeifia. I accept. I just hope you won't be too disappointed when you lose."

"Oh, don't worry. I have a few tricks that you, yourself, taught me."

VVV  
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VVV

Yay, not writing out the board game. If you want to know, then look it up for the manga/season 0. I hope it's not too confusing or anything. Let me know about anything you thought was odd, I'd like to hear about it. :D  
R&R


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